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Fort Morgan offering free computer software classes in January

More computer-related learning opportunities being planned for 2014

FORT MORGAN — — Fort Morgan residents looking to learn the basics of how to use word processing and spreadsheet software or in need of a refresher are in luck.

The city of Fort Morgan will offer free one-evening classes on using Microsoft Word for word processing and Microsoft Excel for spreadsheets in January in the PC Lab at Fort Morgan Public Library.

The Excel class will be at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 15, and is a workshop for beginners with "little or no experience" using the program.

The Word class will be at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 29, and is meant for students or adults in need of experience with a program that is a requirement for most job applications, according to the city.

Volunteer Marlene Frisk will teach both classes.

Pre-registration is not necessary for either class, but space is limited to the number of computers, according to Library Technology Coordinator Lanny Page.

"We felt like we wanted to offer them at night," he said. "I think there's a lot of people that work that couldn't make the day-time classes."

Last year, the city received a grant that provided the equipment for the PC Lab, as well as some money to provide community education classes.

That grant is finished, according to Page, but the city gets to keep the equipment and the classes will continue as long as there are people to teach them.

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"I hope that we'll offer a variety of classes, such as keyboarding, Internet use, email, digital photo editing, Facebook, eBay and using eReaders and eBooks," Page said. "We feel this is something important to offer to the community."

He said that at keyboarding classes, he uses an website that allows people to work on their typing skills, which is something they can do more of later on a home computer or in the lab at the library.

"I give people the URL so they can practice on their own," he said. "They certainly won't learn to type in one night, but they can practice on their own. The class situations are very good for teaching people how to use" the software or website. "I think it's often very helpful to have a tutor go through the first lesson with people."

Page said other future classes could include basics on how to use a mouse, getting rid of computer viruses or spyware and various other subjects.